I H(eart)ate You
by XcaliforniandreamerX
Summary: Jazmine Dubois is paired up with the new boy, Huey Freeman, for English. Only problem is she absolutely despises him. He's sarcastic, cynical, and mysterious in ways that pulls her into him. Especially with his eyes. If only she'd stop coming back for more...
1. Screw you, Huey Freeman

**Argh, so many plot bunnies in my head. But I had to write a Boondocks fic, because I love this show!**

* * *

Chapter 1: Screw you, Huey Freeman

The bell rang, and Jazmine folded her hands in excitement as the student's lingering around the hallway quietly shuffled in. Their teacher, Miss Shaw, wrote the instructions for their next assignment on the board, and groans of misery filled the room. Including one from her best friend, Cindy. She blew a long strand of blonde hair out, and rolled her wide blue eyes at Jazmine's eager expression.

"Girl, you must be trippin'."

Jazmine, cocked her head at Cindy, "Why?"

"You look like you _excited_ to be here."

Jazmine rolled her light green eyes. He large, strawberry blonde afro wiggled as she nod her head. "I love this class! I can't wait for-"

Her exclamation was promptly interrupted when the door swung open, and all eyes in the class turned to the boy standing in the door. Jazmine's eyes widened, along with a few other gasps as he walked all the way into the classroom. He had rich caramel skin, wide maroon eyes, and a _huge_ afro. He was tall too, about six foot three, and his stance would make him seem carefree, except for the deep arch of his thick eyebrows, and the small scowl that curled his lips.

"Ooh girl, he is soo fine," Cindy gushed in her ear, leaning across her desk, "And those eyebrows. Definitely on _fleek_."

"I think he looks kind of angry." The mulatto whispered back, still examining the new boy carefully.

His was wearing a loose white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, along with jeans and a pair of Timberlands. His small backpack was slung over his shoulder, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, white piece of paper. His voice was speaking so low that Jazmine couldn't hear him no matter how hard she strained her neck forward as he gave the paper to Miss Shaw.

Miss Shaw then turned to the curious students, "Everyone, this is Huey Freeman. Him and his family is new to Wood Crest, and he will be joining our tenth grade English class."

Miss Shaw glanced down at Huey expectantly, and he raised his eyebrow a little before waving silently.

"He seems like a mysterious bad boy with a deep past. Girl, what'chu think?" Cindy whispered.

Jazmine giggled, "Don't be silly."

"You can find an empty seat, "Miss Shaw said, and Huey nodded before walking directly down the aisle Jazmine was in.

As Jazmine took a closer look at him, he didn't seem very angry at all. Not even a hint of anxiousness. He was just...impassive, as if he couldn't care less if he was there or not. She noticed he didn't make eye contact with anyone, his focus was on something.

 _Is it...me?_ Jazmine blushed at the thought.

But then he slid into the empty seat right next to her, and she wanted to punch herself. Of course, he was only trying to find a seat. That made more sense.

Her heart picked up at the thought of the new boy sitting so close to her. Miss Shaw began explaining their new assignment to analyze Romeo and Juliet, and for some reason...Jazmine just couldn't _focus_. Her heart was still beating obnoxiously loud in her chest, and she sat straighter in her seat, trying to make herself comfortable. But this heat...it wasn't going away!

Against her better judgement, Jazmine relented and snuck a look at Huey. He looked as impassive as ever, he was lounged back in his seat with one arm draped against the back of his chair. His foot was tapping softly, and he stared ahead...not necessarily at Miss Shaw though.

As if sensing her gaze, he blinked and suddenly he was looking at her. Jazmine froze, too shocked to look away. He held her gaze, and she could already feel the heat crawling up her cheeks as his unique maroon eyes stared at her, observing every inch of her face. And then, a tiny, almost nonexistent smirk formed at the corner of his mouth, causing the mulatto to gasp and blush even harder.

She forced herself to tear her gaze away from his deep, maroon scrutiny, and face the front. She shifted in her seat again, but couldn't completely dismiss the thought of being watched. She knew it was Huey, and she wasn't liking it. It felt like he was trying to stare down into her soul, and she shifted again, clasping her moist hands tight as she tried to follow along with Miss Shaw as she read Shakespeare out loud.

It was no use. She could feel his stare as if he was burning two holes into the back of her head.

"Alright," Miss Shawl announced loudly, thankfully distracting her, "Now discuss Act three scene one with the person on the left."

Jazmine shot a pleading look at Cindy. She must've misinterpreted it, because Cindy gave her a teasing wink, before turning to talk to another girl. Jazmine shut her eyes, taking in a deep breath.

She could do this...talking to a boy wasn't that hard? _Right?_

Twirling a piece of her strawberry-blonde curls nervously, she turned to meet the stare of Huey Freeman.

"Um...hi." Jazmine wanted to punch herself again. _That was so incredibly awkward!_

He rose a perfectly arched eyebrow.

Her shoulders sagged, and she muttered, "My name is Jazmine."

"I can see that."

His voice was a little deeper than she expected, but it still managed to bring heat to her cheeks and have her heart pounding in her ears. She stared up at him, "Huh?"

"It's all over your binder." He inclined his head to the purple, glittery mess that was her binder.

Jazmine flushed again, moving it out of his view as she chuckled nervously. "So um...what do you think of Act three scene one."

"Personally, I think Shakespeare's a chauvinistic bastard, and people should stop glorifying his work because it is blasphemous and contemptuous."

Jazmine's eyes widened, _"What?"_

That was definitely _not_ a response she was expecting.

Huey just shook his head, staring down at the floor, "Never mind. I mistook you as being competent."

Her wide green eyes narrowed, and Jazmine frowned, "Hey! I _am_ competent!"

Amusement danced in his eyes, "Prove it."

The only problem was, Jazmine didn't know exactly how she could prove it. She opened in her mouth to protest, before promptly closing it and her shoulders slumped again as she crossed her arms.

Huey's tiny smirk widened, "That's what I thought."

Jazmine huffed indignantly, "Well, you don't have to be so-"

"Rude? Crude? Insulting?" He interrupted her, mimicking her crossed arms and raised an eyebrow.

She spluttered to a stop.

"Couldn't help it. You were so predictable, everything about you is predictable."

"What?"

"You're half black, half white. You live in a modest suburban neighborhood and your parents probably have a career in the government. You're naive, full of inexperience, and a straight A student."

Jazmine just blinked. "H-How did you...?"

She stopped, when Huey's hand reached out, and softly grabbed one of her curls. He completely ignored her profuse blushing and flustered state as his maroon gaze focused on her soft curls, twirling it in between his thumb and index finger.

"You're hair is interesting." He intoned thoughtfully.

Jazmine was bewildered. Her brain was screaming at her to push him away, but her heart craved the touch. She even found herself leaning in so close that Huey's hand brushed against her warm cheeks.

Huey smirked, letting go of her hair, "Overall Appealing...but slightly incompetent, and dainty."

"Dainty?" She repeated, her cheeks burning but her eyes narrowed into a glare.

He nodded cooly, "That's what I said."

"Why, you-"

The bell rang, and thankfully cut her off, because she had no remarks to give. So instead, she turned away from him, harrumphing as she stood up, grabbed her backpack hanging off the back of her chair, and slammed her seat to the desk. She was almost halfway through the door when someone tapped on her shoulder. She spun on her heel to come even closer to Huey Freeman. He was almost a head taller than her, and that made her irritated.

Was there a boy in this school that wasn't always _looming_ over her height?

Huey's smirk said he was up to no good, but she warily stayed where she was.

"What?" She asked, glad that her tone came out curtly.

Something was pressed to her chest, and for a wild second, she actually thought he was feeling her up in the middle of the hallway. But when she looked down, it was just her glittery, purple binder. Her cheeks burned as she tried to get the thought of him touching her out of her head, and she snatched the notebook out of his hold. And with whatever dignity she had left, Jazmine Dubois, turned on her heel and marched to Chemistry.

 _Screw you, Huey Freeman._ She thought to herself smugly.


	2. Party

**Omg, thanks for the great feedback! I forgot to mention last chapter that they're gonna be in high school, but I'm sure you got the message.**

* * *

Chapter 2: Party

"And then he...he called me incompetent, and dainty!" Jazmine ranted, sitting pushed up against the wall while Cindy laid on the bed upside-down.

"What does that mean?"

"Incompetent or dainty?" Jazmine asked, glancing at the blonde.

"Um...both?"

Jazmine sighed, checking the time on her phone and pushing herself to her feet, "Well, I better get going. My dad should be home soon."

"Wait!" Cindy said, falling on to the floor.

The mulatto gasped, "Cindy, are you okay?!"

Cindy waved her hand dissmissively, "Chill girl, I'm fine." She walked up to Jazmine and grabbed her shoulders, "You know a good way to get your mind off of that boy?"

Jazmine shook her head.

"A _partaay!_ " The blonde sang obnoxiously.

Jazmine stared at the ground, twirling a piece of her hair nervously, "I don't know Cindy..."

"Aw C'mon, it's a great idea! Hiro's throwin' one and I don't wanna go alone. Plus, you never get out." Cindy protested.

Jazmine crossed her arms, "So?"

Cindy smirked, and Jazmine was suddenly very wary.

"I guess that Huey guy is right then," Cindy said, and Jazmine's eyes widened in shock, "Maybe you _are_ dainty."

"I'm _not_!" She huffed, stomping her foot. Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment, "Fine! I'll go to the stupid party!"

"That's what I'm talkin' bout," Cindy cheered happily, before she ran over to her large, walk-in closet. "Now, let's get ya dressed up."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" She asked, glancing down at her gray turtle-neck sweater and faded-blue jeans.

Cindy glanced at her and snorted, "Everything, hunny."

Jazmine rolled her eyes, and plopped down on Cindy's bed. She was only going through with this to prove a point. She couldn't help but smirk a little at the face he'd make when he found out that she went to a party.

That she's _not_ as predictable as he thought she was.

* * *

"Can I look now?" Jazmine asked, annoyance clear in her tone.

"Hold on, damn!" Cindy responded, and Jazmine winced as she felt something cool run across her eyelids, before Cindy brushed something on her cheeks and backed away. "Alright girl, check it out!"

Jazmine opened her eyes, and she gasped at what she saw in the mirror.

Her strawberry-blonde hair, usually in a wild curly afro, was straight and cascaded down her back in waves. The smokey eye that Cindy gave her definitely did bring more attention to her eyes, and her cheeks were tinted pink with slight blush. She then stared down at the outfit Cindy had dressed her in. Jazmine completely refused on going in a skimpy dress, so Cindy gave her some dark skinny jeans and a black top that criss-crossed in the back all the way down to her shoulder blades, exposing more of her back than she'd prefer. Cindy gave her some expensive silver hoops to wear, along with some bracelets and to top it all of; shiny black heels.

"Ooh girl," Cindy drawled out, with a wink, "You look sexy."

Jazmine blushed profusely, "Stop it."

"What? Girl you look hot! All the boys won't be able to keep their eyes off of you. You should dress like this for school more, I bet'cha it'd make Huey _drool_."

"And risk getting grounded for the rest of my life?" Jazmine scoffed, crossing her arms, "I don't think so."

Cindy shrugged, "Just a suggestion. Now, put'cha heels on. I wanna put this on Instagram."

Jazmine sighed, knowing there would be no way out of this. She slipped the heels on, and held on to the dresser as she slowly, shakily, stood to her full height.

"Give me your best sexy face." Cindy said, and Jazmine shot her an exasperated glare.

"Okay, angry face looks great too." Cindy shrugged, as the flash went off and Jazmine winced.

When the blonde finally pulled away, she grinned at her, and Jazmine sighed.

Fifteen minutes later, Cindy was dressed up in a skimpy cocktail dress. Her hair curled and it took her a little longer to do her make-up since she switched outfits half-way through. Her heels were double the size of Jazmine's, but she walked as if she was taking a stroll through the park...in four inch stilettos! Cindy grabbed both of their purses, and hurried Jazmine down the stairs of her large house (it could be considered a small mansion) and through the door before Jazmine could have second thoughts.

Almost as soon as Cindy started the engine to her silver Camaro, Jazmine felt her stomach drop.

What was she thinking?! Her dad would _kill_ her if he found out she was going to a party...on a school night! She couldn't even believe she had the guts to lie when she told him she'd stay over Cindy's for the night. This was ridiculous, and it was all Huey's fault!

Her mood darkened, and she crossed her arms, glaring out the window as Cindy sung loudly to Omarion's "Post To Be" on the radio.

The street was lined with cars on each side, and the bass of the music was so loud that Jazmine could feel it vibrating through the car, and numbing the tips of her fingers. Cindy let out a low whistle watching a group of seniors that were walking down the sidewalk towards the party. Jazmine's eyes absolutely widened with shock as Cindy's horn suddenly went off, grabbing the attention of the seniors.

Her face heated up in embarrassment, and she turned to the blonde and hissed, "Cindy!"

Cindy snickered, pressing on the gas and speeding past the confused boys. Finally, she paralleled park at nearly the end of the street, cutting off the engine and stepping out. Jazmine reluctantly followed suit.

"Ah, yeah girl! This party's gonna be off the chain!" Cindy cheered, fist-pumping the air. The mulatto just rolled her wide green eyes.

They walked down the street to the party's destination, and with every step Jazmine took, she felt the guilt worsen in her chest. The door was wide open, and Cindy grabbed her by her arm and yanked her into what felt like another dimension. The room was very humid, with strobe lights flashing and tons of bodies pressed up against each other. Some were off on the sides, chatting animatedly while holding shiny, red plastic cups.

"C'mon!" Cindy exclaimed, pulling her into the crowd of dancing bodies.

Taller figures ran into her, shoving her and she nearly tripped in her heels. Jazmine promptly cursed herself for being so short, before squeezing through another dancing couple.

Well, if you could call practically grinding private parts into each other 'dancing'.

"Cindy!" She yelled, but it was useless over the deafening hip-hop music. "Cindy, where are you?!"

Another harsh shove and she was forced out of the crowd of dancing bodies. Jazmine shut her eyes, knowing she was about to have a conversation with the floor when suddenly a pair of strong hands wrapped around her waist, and pulled her back on her feet.

A few seconds later, she finally opened her eyes, and they widened comically as she stared up into familiar maroon ones.

 _Huey?!_

Huey stared down at her curiously, his maroon gaze examining her body up and down. Enormous amounts of blush crept across her cheeks, and a strange tingling sensation ran up her chest. She felt exposed to him. Quickly, she pulled away from his grip. Her emerald eyes gazed around the room, and she wondered how in the world she got to the other side of the room.

And into _his_ hands of all people?

Another small smirk appeared at the edge of his lips, "I'm surprised, this party doesn't seem like your type."

"Well, then clearly I'm not as _predictable_ as you thought." She crossed her arms, feeling surprisingly triumphant.

He snorted, "You were dragged down here, won't you?"

Jazmine's smug smile faltered, and Huey's sharp gaze caught it. But before she could give a sarcastic remark, his hand was at her hair again. He ran his dexterous fingers through her hair, and she imagined what his fingers felt like against her skin. She quickly pushed the idea away. It was so strange how this new boy could make her crave his touch and despise him at the same time.

"You changed your hair." He observed, bringing his hand away from her hair. To another person, his voice seemed aloof, but Jazmine could sense the twinge of condescendence in his tone.

Jazmine just shrugged, trying to mimic his cool indifference, "So?"

His smirk pulled into a frown, "You should keep it natural. It looks more...pleasing."

The mulatto raised an eyebrow, "Was that supposed to be a compliment?"

He crossed his arms, and the tiny smirk appeared again, "No."

Jazmine's green eyes narrowed fiercely, "Well, I don't care what you say, anyway!" Her voice wavered on 'anyway', and now she just felt incredibly stupid. She prayed the sheepish heat threatening to consume her wasn't appearing on her face.

Huey took a step forward, his taller form loomed over her. Jazmine swallowed her nervousness, she needed to stand her ground.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his voice dropping to a low whisper that sent a shiver down her spine, "Because I'm convinced I have a great affect on you."

 _Stand your ground_ , The mulatto thought frantically, _Don't let him get to you!_

"Hey nigga, get over here!" An unfamiliar voice shouted, and the pair both turned to another boy.

He looked a lot like Huey, with the same caramel skin, maroon eyes, and deeply arched eyebrows. The only differences would be his hair was braided into cornrows, and he lacked the severe scowl that Huey had. Jazmine's eyes widened, while Huey had scowled with irritation.

"What do you want, Riley?"

"C'mon man, I need you to be my wingman. Oh these twins are feelin' me man, I can have the one with the big ass while you can take-"

"Shut up, Riley." Huey grumbled, his scowl deepend.

Jazmine had no idea he had a brother.

Riley scoffed, "C'mon, Huey. These twins are _fine!_ You like them, I promise!" As Riley moved closer, his stance was off, and he kept wobbling over his feet.

Huey pinched the bridge of his nose, completely ignoring Jazmine as He grabbed Riley by the shirt, "Come on, I'm taking your drunk ass home."

"Nah nigga! I ain't goin'!" Riley shouted, trying to struggle, but Huey's strong grip, pinned his arms behind him.

Jazmine just blinked.

Riley's maroon eyes met Jazmine's wide green ones. "Hey, you didn't tell me you was talkin' to a _fine_ mixed girl."

Huey rolled his eyes, and dragged Riley into the crowd, and out of her line of sight. Jazmine was once again left in a state of being absolutely bewildered.

* * *

It was nearly two hours later when the party ended, and Jazmine had ended up dragging a drunk Cindy into the car, and ended up driving her home. Jazmine borrowed some sweat pants and a long-sleeved shirt, while Cindy more or less stripped down into undergarments and crawled into her bed. Jazmine shook her head, and made herself comfortable on the couch across from her room.

The last thing she thought about was those maroon eyes, and the soft whispers, before she fell asleep.


	3. F My Life

**Wow, you guys are great! Thanks so much for the reviews, they're great motivation for me!** **So glad you like how I portray Huey and Jazmine so far lol.**

* * *

Chapter 3: F My Life

Cindy's eyes fluttered open wide when she felt the presence of her warm, soft covers being yanked away from her. Without another thought, she shot up to a sitting position, "What the fu-"

"Rise and shine." Jazmine smiled sweetly.

Cindy just stared at the mulatto for a few seconds, before rolling her sapphire eyes and crawled out of bed. She stretched up on the tip of her toes as she yawned, "Girl...what happened last night?"

Jazmine rolled her eyes, "You got drunk."

"That explains the phone number." Cindy muttered, staring down at the smudged, and messy letters written with a black marker. Her face suddenly brightened, "I hope I got that boy with the cornrows' number. He was so chill last night."

"I'm surprised you even remember anything. You were so drunk you didn't even recognize me, when I dragged you from the bar." The mulatto intoned, walking into the bathroom, "We need to get ready for school, Cindy."

Cindy belched, and groaned. "I don't wanna go anywhere but back to bed."

"Well, you can't ditch. My dad's coming to pick us up, and you cant look hungover either."

Cindy just blinked, " _What?_ Why?"

"I don't know," Jazmine heaved a stymied sigh, "He called early this morning, and asked how we were doing. I told him fine, and he asked if we needed a ride to school-"

"And you said _yes_?!"

"No!" She protested crossing her arms, "He just kept talking and talking... I didn't even say anything! He just convinced himself we needed a ride and said he'll be here in an hour. So, a little less talking, and help me scrub this makeup off my face."

"Alright." Cindy said with a resigned sigh, walking over to the bathroom, and getting a makeup wipe.

The mulatto sat down patiently on the toilet seat.

Cindy instructed her to close her eyes, and she began to wipe the makeup away, "So, did ya enjoy yourself?"

She didn't answer.

Cindy raised an eyebrow, "So you met someone? Who was it?"

The blush on her cheeks told the blonde everything. And she smirked, "It was new-boy, wasn't it?"

She let out a sigh, "I had no idea he'd be there."

Cindy grinned tauntingly, "What'chu two do?"

She simply shrugged. Trying to ignore the memory of him being so _close_ to her. "We just talked."

The blonde's grin widened, "Did the talking lead to-"

Jazmine's eyes flew open, and embarrassing heat swarmed her face, " _No!_ Of course not!"

Cindy snickered, "Just makin' sure."

"Shut up." Jazmine mumbled, her flustered gaze drifted to the ground.

* * *

The three-minute warning bell rang, and a chorus of groans graced the hallway of Wood Crest High, along with dejected locker slams as students hurried to their first period class. For the first time ever, the mulatto was not in such an ambitious rush to get to class. Not when she knew _he_ would be there. She could not stand him.

The cool indifference in his posture and smooth tone, the mocking smirks, his perpetual scowls, or his deep...alluring...sensual eyes...

Where was she going with this again?

Her daze was abruptly cut short when a loud, over dramatic sigh came from the blonde beside her. Cindy laid languidly against the wall, her hands deep in her baggy pockets. Jazmine couldn't believe she actually came to school today in her pajamas, claiming she was too tired and didn't feel like showing off for the guys anyway.

All while Jazmine was off in a daze, Cindy watched her shrewdly. She cocked her head, "What's up wit'chu girl? You look wasted."

Jazmine rolled her emerald eyes, "You don't look much better."

Cindy scoffed, crossing her arms, "We usually the first ones in Shaw's class. Why we still here?"

The mulatto just shrugged.

Cindy's confused frown suddenly stretched into a knowing grin, "Oh, I know why. You try'na avoid Huey cuz he saved your clumsy ass last night."

The heat crept on to her cheeks, and she wished more than ever that she wouldn't blush so easily. She hated the look of satisfaction that crossed Huey's face every time she blushed like an idiot. Every time he crudely mocked her, or how he'd invade her personal space until it made her skin crawl. She hated that he had somewhat power over her, some type of _dominance._ Jazmine wasn't very prideful, but she did have dignity and dignity demands that she marched into Miss Shaw's room and tell Huey who's boss.

In fact, that's _exactly_ what she'd going to do.

 _Yeah,_ She repeated in her head, _I'll show him who's boss._

With her posture straightened, and her chin tipped a little higher, Jazmine linked arms with Cindy and marched all the way down to Miss Shaw's room. It's only when they stepped inside the threshold that her confidence began to dwindle. Her eyes locked on Huey, not surprised at all to find him lounged back in his chair, one arms draped casually on the back of his seat as he stared up at the ceiling with blase only he could pull off.

"Why you trippin' ?" Cindy asked, and the mulatto flinched.

Jazmine crossed her arms, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Cindy rolled her blue eyes, "Look, if you don't go over there an' show him who's boss, then I'll gladly push ya!"

Jazmine blinked. "Wait. Wha- _aah_?!"

Cindy pushed her into the aisle, and Jazmine flailed her arms wildly before catching herself at the last moment. She prayed that Huey hadn't seen her almost topple to the floor, but when she snuck a glance at him, she noticed on of his eyebrows incredibly arched as he stared at her. Cursing to herself, she sat down in her seat stiffly, and kept her attention straight ahead. Miss Shaw hadn't even looked up from the magazine she seemed interested in.

The mulatto's fingers clenched as she tried to remain impassive. She knew he was staring at her, and it was driving her insane. She absolutely hated the effect he had on her, and she hated even more for admitting he had an effect on her. The memory of the party flashed inside her head, the memory of how close he was to her, and how she could feel his warm breath on her own skin. Her fingers clenched harder.

Five minutes after the bell, and Miss Shaw still hadn't looked up. What in the world was she reading, anyway?!

Finally, she snapped.

Turning around, she brought her furious glare to the shrewd maroon gaze, "Will you _stop_ staring at me?!"

Huey cocked his head, "Who said I was staring at you?"

"I can feel your stare! And it's not like you were being discreet about it," She ranted, her chest burning with an unknown feeling, "You're staring at me and I would like- no, I _demand_ you to stop! It is distracting me from my learning."

He shot her a skeptical look, "Since when does twitching and muttering count as learning?"

She was _muttering_? Jazmine couldn't help but flush. Instead of explaining her strange behavior, she crossed her arms and changed the subject, "I didn't know you had a brother."

He rolled his eyes, but said nothing in return.

Jazmine smiled smugly, "Riley, is it? He's pretty cute."

Huey stayed silent.

"He's definitely got the looks in the family." Jazmine said smoothly. Even though it was a total and complete lie, all Jazmine wanted was to get a reaction out of him. And it was frustrating her that he remained indifferent. _Why_ couldn't she get a reaction out of him? She was sure jealously would work.

But then again, in order for jealously to work, it meant Huey had to be _attracted_ to her.

And she highly doubted that.

"So dumb-asses with braids turn you on?" Huey asked, a wicked look to his eyes was the only thing he gave away. His elbows were braced on the desk as he leaned forward.

 _Okay, not the response I was hoping for._ But Jazmine was determined to win this time, "And? What if it does?"

Huey snorted, leaning back in the seat with his arms crossed, "You're not Riley's type."

"How would you know?"

"He doesn't do virgins."

Jazmine froze up again, she was sure her cheeks were red enough to rival the shade of tomatoes. Of course she was a virgin, and there wasn't anything wrong with being one, but when the way Huey said it made it seem like a flaw. She couldn't even hold his gaze anymore, because he was right and she wasn't going to try and contradict it.

Embarrassed, she stared down at the floor. She prayed that her voice wouldn't waver, "There's nothing _wrong_ with waiting until marriage."

"Never said there was," Huey answered smoothly.

"But you're implying something." The mulatto pressed.

"I'm just saying he doesn't go for the young, naïve, little girls."

"I'm not a little girl." She glared at him.

"Those pigtails suggest otherwise."

Flustered again, her hands subconsciously raced up to her two giant pigtails, and tried to tame her wild, curly afro. Huey watched her the whole time, a smirk of satisfaction graced his lips when she noticed him, and she wanted to put her head through a wall. She gave him _another_ reaction!

Jazmine stomped her foot, ignoring how childish it seemed, "You're...you're so _infuriating_!" His smirk widened, but she cut him off before he could say something to get her even more riled up, "You're so rude, and annoying, and sarcastic!"

"It's my natural defense against the witless."

 _"Argh!"_ Her emerald eyes narrowed, "I despise you."

He nodded, "I'm sure."

Jazmine groaned, turning around to face the front again. Thankfully, Miss Shaw had finally decided she needed to do her job and she started writing something on the chalkboard.

 _I hate him_ , She thought to herself, _Huey Freeman is a jerk._

Miss Shaw finally turned away from the board, and it was titled "Pairings for English Assignment." Jazmine searched for her name on the board, and when she found out who her partner was, she felt like exploding. She must have murdered puppies and kittens in her past life to get this much karma. Or maybe, it was her punishment for going to the party with Cindy and lying to her parents.

Either way, Jazmine was in for a world of trouble.

 _Jazmine Dubois and Huey Freeman._

Normally, Cindy was the one who used slang and seemed to understand what every acronym stood for when it came to text lingo on social media. And normally Jazmine thought it was pointless and inappropriate to use as well. But at a time like this, a certain one lingo that Cindy explained, after hearing her shout it out loud.

"F.M.L." She muttered under her breath.


	4. More Than Meets The Eyes

**I know, sorry its been a whole month since I updated. This chapter was kinda hard to write, and it's a little shorter than the average. But don't worry, the next chapter will be longer!**

 **And wow, 40 reviews already? You guys are awesome!**

* * *

Chapter 4: More Than Meets The Eyes

It was as if Miss Shaw had pulled her feet out from under her, because Jazmine spent the whole day fumbling around after first period. The notes on Chemistry went through one ear, and out the other. She didn't even giggle softly when Mr. Adams made a terrible math pun in Geometry. Huey lingered in her mind before, but now, he was _haunting_ it. She couldn't believe out of all people, Miss Shaw had paired them up.

It wasn't until they were walking back from school that Cindy questioned the dejected look and unusual attitude of the mulatto. Jazmine just brushed it off, not at all in the mood to rant about Huey. She was sure Cindy would lose interest halfway, anyway.

She just walked quietly, staring down at her sparkly purple converse as her short legs strained just to stay in pace with Cindy's rather long ones.

 _...He doesn't go for the young, naïve, little girls..._

The mulatto grimaced, before running her hand through her hair again.

"Girl, you sure nothin's up?" Cindy asked, eyeing Jazmine carefully.

"I'm fine," She lied, "Perfectly, one-hundred-percent, happy."

Cindy stopped, and Jazmine had to stop or else she'd run into her. The blonde scoffed, crossing her arms, "Does this have to do with what went down in Shaw's class? Because if it is, I know a small club downtown that's thrown' a party. Supposed to be crowded, but I can sneak us past the security. Up for a little adventure tonight?"

Jazmine chuckled softly, "That's sweet of you Cin, but really, I'm fine."

Cindy gave her a flat stare, "Jazzy, we've been besties for what? Ten years? I know when you're lyin' to me. At least come up with a better poker face, before you start lyin'."

Jazmine flushed slightly. She was never really good at hiding her emotions, her face was just very expressive, and she's been told on many occasions that she was as open as a book. Perhaps that was the reason why Huey could read her mind so well, and seemed to know exactly what she'd say next.

"I'm just...shocked is all," She finally replied, twirling a curl of her hair.

Cindy sighed, "Girl, you need to stop showin' him that he gets to you. Honestly, you keep lettin' him get all these advantages because A) you wear your heart on ya sleeve, and B) you need to learn some good comebacks." The blonde then grinned, "Lucky for you, I am skilled in the art of comebacks."

Bryson Tiller's "Don't" started to hum faintly from Cindy's baggy pants, and she shuffled through her pocket before pulling out her phone and answering it.

Jazmine scoffed, rolling her wide emerald eyes. And out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something peculiar. Two skeptical figures dressed in black hoodies and baggy pants were loitering around the park across the street. They were talking quietly amongst themselves, but something about their presence made the mulatto's skin crawl. What peaked her interest even more was when the Freeman brothers had cautiously walked up to them.

She peered at them curiously, watching Huey especially. While Riley seemed to grin and embrace the two hooded male's with a complex handshake, Huey leaned against a tree a few inches away from them. He appeared to be as aloof and detached from the conversation as ever. He had his arms crossed, and was staring (more like scowling) down at the grass. The only way Jazmine could tell he was still listening intently to the conversation was the slight, crease of his forehead and the tighten scowl on his lips when the taller hooded figure said something he apparently didn't agree on.

 _What could they be talking about?_ The mulatto wondered.

"What?" Cindy asked, pulling her phone away from her ear.

Jazmine froze. Did she say that out loud? She had a bad habit of doing that lately... "Um, nothing. Who called?"

The blonde rolled her baby blue eyes, "Just my momma checkin' up on me. She ain't gonna be home tonight, can I crash with you?"

She nodded, and Cindy began walking again, the mulatto reluctantly followed. Over her shoulder, she glanced across the street. She could've sworn one of the hooded males was looking at her, but it was hard to tell since he was wearing shades. Anxious and perplexed, Jazmine tore her gazed away and pretended nothing happened. Cindy instantly began rambling on about some fight that happened in gym class, but she was hardly paying attention.

Her mind was too wrapped up on the boy with maroon eyes, and thickly arched eyebrows.

* * *

"Settle down class," Miss Shaw's voice drowned out the rest of the talking, "As you know, you are paired up for this assignment. You will write an essay, discussing the role of women in Shakespeare's society time, their impact in his plays, and how they differ from the roles women in modern society. You will have until next Monday to turn in your first draft, any questions?"

There were no questions.

Miss Shaw inclined her head, "Alright then, go ahead and get with your partners. Start to brainstorm some ideas."

Jazmine turned around, mentally preparing herself for the head-ache she'd ensued after a conversation with Huey. He was slumped in his seat, arms crossed as he silently observed her.

"So," Jazmine started off slowly, "No insults today?"

"I won't make any promises."

The mulatto rolled her emerald eyes, and tried to be as casual as possible, "I saw you after school yesterday."

Huey raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"You and Riley. You guys were talking to some other guys, they looked pretty shady," She laced her fingers together and gave him a keen smile, "Care to elaborate?"

For the first time since she's met the insufferable boy, Huey was speechless. His gaze was purposely averting hers, and his maroon eyes clouded over with a distant memory. She found herself leaning forward a little, watching his wistful expression and nearly getting lost in his wide eyes. But her trance was snapped when he jaw tightened and his scowl returned, his pupils darting right on her figure.

He got out a pencil and a fresh sheet of paper, and began writing. And for the first fifteen minutes of class, all Jazmine did was watch him write, and gawk at how tantalizing his handwriting was. But the tense silence started to get to the mulatto, who was not used to this...much more brooding side of Huey at all. It was clear whatever memory stirred up had angered him, and even though she wasn't sure how he would respond to pestering, curiosity won out in the end.

"Are you mad? You look mad...even though you always look like that," She shook her head before she could get more off topic, "Was it something that I said? Was it about those two guys?"

"You sure like to ask a lot of questions." Huey replied grimly, still concentrating on writing.

She huffed, crossing her arms, "Well, what do you want me to do? Guess?"

This time, Huey actually looked up to meet her gaze. "You ever heard the phrase curiosity _killed_ the cat?" His voice lacked his usual sarcasm. It was much more serious, and something flashed in his eyes, but Jazmine wasn't fast enough to catch it.

"Yes, but that's not the whole phrase. _Satisfaction_ brought it back." She pointed out.

Jazmine pulled her legs under her so that she was face to face with Huey in the chair. She realized she was close enough that most of her torso was hunched across his desk, and her face was only a few inches away from his. Huey's bottom lip twitched in what mostly was annoyance, and she couldn't help but bring her gaze down to his lips. It wasn't until the idea of kissing him came to her that she blushed and her eyes snapped up to his.

He noticed her blush, and provocatively raised an eyebrow.

She blushed even harder.

"Be that as it may," Huey continued, taking pleasure in her easily flustered state, "My point still stands. It's best if you just drop the subject and worry about your own sheltered life."

The mulatto's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, and she cocked her head, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Huey gave a tiny sigh, "Don't worry about it."

"You're hiding something," She said, sitting properly back on her chair, "I'm going to find out what it is, I'll promise you that."

Huey just snorted. "Good luck with that."

"I will." Jazmine insisted, determination gleaming in her bright green eyes.

Huey didn't respond, and for some reason, that irritated her. But it also intrigued her, and she made a mental note in her mind to keep a close eye on the Freeman brothers.

There seems to be more than meets the eyes with them.


	5. It's Complicated

**Sorry _again_ for taking so long. This month was really busy between tests and exams. Also the bane of my existence, (Math) is kicking my butt. And you guys just don't know how happy your reviews make me! It feeds my muse and keeps me going, so thanks so much!**

* * *

Chapter 5: It's Complicated

Today, Jazmine was on a mission.

She purposely picked out darker clothes to wear so she'd blend in more, along with a notebook, and her favorite ink pen. She skipped down the steps with an upbeat glee, confident that today she would figure out who the _real_ Huey Freeman is, behind the sarcasm and scowls. She grabbed her backpack off the coat hanger and headed into the kitchen, a sneaky little smile on her face.

Spying.

She's never done something like that before, and the prospect of it all seemed to excite her. Cindy's been bugging her since they were little to take risks, and do more risky things, but at the time, she just never saw the point of it.

If you get caught, it would be all for _nothing_ , wouldn't it?

But now, taking a step on the risky side to get a peak at Huey's life outside school was enticing. It sent excited little tingles down her chest.

"Someone's in a happy mood," Sarah, her mother, called out from the stove.

"Mhmm." The mulatto answered absently, titling her first page of her notebook; _Huey Freeman: Day One_.

"Who's this Huey Freeman?" Tom, her father, asked with a raised eyebrow. He was peering over her shoulder.

"Dad," Jazmine groaned, shutting the notebook and drummed her fingers against the counter, "He's...no one."

"You've met a boy?" Her mother perked up, her baby blue eyes widening excitement. "Oh! Is he cute? How tall is he? What classes is he in?"

"Sarah," Tom gave an exasperated sigh, before giving his daughter a stern gaze, "Jazmine, what was my policy about boys?"

"School first, boys later." Jazmine repeated flatly.

" _Exactly_ ," Tom said with an affirmative nod, "No boys until college. Actually, scratch that, no boys until I feel like it."

"But dad, that's not fair." Jazmine tried to protest.

"Nu-uh," Tom waggled his index finger, "I'm the man of the house. So what I say goes, right Sarah?"

Sarah rolled her eyes, "Oh shut up. You're being unrealistic."

"Hey, you're _supposed_ to support me."

She shook her short blonde hair, "Not on this choice. If Jazmine likes the boy, let her like the boy. There's nothing wrong with having a crush, she's a teenager for Christ's sake."

"Not if I have anything to do about it!" He declared proudly, then looked to the mulatto, "How tall is he? Is he muscular? Could he beat me up in a fight?"

Jazmine nodded, "Probably."

Some of Tom's bravado visibly deflated from him, and he frowned. Sarah chuckled from over at the stove. Tom began grumbling under his breath, crossing his arms while he stirred the spoon in his oatmeal.

"I bet he's not that tough..."

Sarah laughed even harder, and Jazmine tried her best not to roll her eyes. Her parents were crazy.

* * *

Cindy texted her, telling her she wasn't going to school today. Normally, Jazmine would be bothered because Cindy was her best friend and the only person she talked to voluntarily. But today, she was a little relieved. Besides, Cindy would make it way _too_ obvious she was spying on him.

"Okay Kiddo, this is your stop." Sarah said, rolling up to the front of the school.

Jazmine double checked to make sure everything that she needed was there, before nodding and opening the door. "Bye Mom, see you later!"

"Bye, sweetheart!"

Once her mother drove away, Jazmine checked the time on her phone. She still had fifteen minutes before the bell rang. Someone nudged her shoulder, and the mulatto almost tripped, managing to stagger backwards as her head swung to see who had hit her. Her green eyes widened. _It was Riley!_

"Aye, I'm sorry." He muttered over his shoulder, continuing his brisk pace.

The mulatto noticed that Huey wasn't with him, and she had to admit, she was a little disappointed. But she sat down at a nearby bench, never losing her sight on Riley as he walked across the school, to the other sides near the large trees. It was there that a hooded figure stood. The same hooded figure that Jazmine saw the Freeman brothers talk to yesterday. Only this time, there was one.

Riley embraced him in the handshake again, and they began talking. She clearly couldn't hear what they were saying, and she wasn't so great at reading mouths. But whatever they were discussing must've been serious, because of the grim expression that settled over Riley's face. He looked a lot like his brother for a moment. Jazmine strained her head forwards, trying to get some gist of the conversation while being discreet. The hooded figure, who's head was bowed during the whole conversation, suddenly snapped up.

Riley's eyes followed his gaze and the mulatto panicked. Her emerald gaze dropped down to her notebook and she pulled it closer to her face, pretending to be intently reading. For some reason, it felt like she was being watched, but from afar. She was probably being irrational, but she couldn't shake the feeling, and her body stiffened apprehensively. Her small fingers gripped the edge of her notebook hard, and when a few minutes passed, she slowly lowered her notebook.

What she wasn't expecting was Huey Freeman to be standing in front of her, with his award winning scowl.

So it's only understandable that when she yelped, she almost jumped ten feet into the air. "Huey?!"

His raised eyebrows narrowed warily, "What are you doing?"

Jazmine froze for a second, and then slammed the notebook shut before he could get a good look at the page's title. "Nothing! Just...uh, enjoying the fresh air. Such a nice, sunny day!"

His expression turned dubious, "Really? Then why was your face in that book?"

The mulatto froze again. "Uh..."

"If you're going to lie," He continued, adjusting the backpack strap on his shoulder, "You should at least not make it so obvious."

She stared up at him sheepishly. He was wearing a loose white t-shirt, with short sleeves. It was actually the first time Jazmine noticed how particularly muscular he was. It wasn't like those, huge, bulging muscles those brutes had one exercising commercials. They were toned, but lean for his slim figure, and only just made him _that_ much more attractive.

She was snapped out of her trance-like gaze on his arms when the bell rang.

"Shoot!" She hopped out of the chair, not even having enough time to be embarrassed for staring as she grabbed her things and rushed up the steps. Huey followed after her.

* * *

A twitch.

Then another twitch.

Finally fed up, he looked up. His maroon eyes glittered with irritation. "Jazmine, _why_ are you staring at me?"

The mulatto didn't answer, but looked down and wrote it down in her notebook;

 _When irritated, his left eyebrow twitches. Does not like to be stared at. Can somehow sense being stared at even without looking up...maybe a weird sixth sense?_

"Hmm?" Jazmine murmured, still writing it all down before looking up at him.

He rolled his eyes, "Since it's obvious you can't do two things at once, make a decision. Stare at me all day or help me write this paper?"

Jazmine blushed, but still didn't reply.

 _He is also extra snarky when irritated._

Giving up on the mulatto's rather strange behavior, Huey went back to writing his part for the rough draft. He was doing fine ignoring her for a few minutes, until she started clicking her pen on and off. He knew she was doing all this on purpose, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't thinking about reaching over and snapping the pen in half. She was close enough, especially since she kept leaning over to read his words.

Jazmine clicked her pen on and off again, and Huey's gaze snapped up to her.

She feigned innocence, cocking her head to the side, "What's wrong, Huey?"

His gaze narrowed, before snapping down to the paper again.

She did it again, and didn't miss the way his eyebrow twitched again. She hid her smile. It was awfully fun to get under his skin for once. She was going to draw this out for as long as possible.

She was just about to do it again, when his fist enclosed over her hand. Startled, she looked up at him, heat blossoming in her chest as she realized he was basically holding her hand. But there was nothing romantic in the way that he glared at her.

"What do you want?"

"What?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't play stupid with me. I know you've got a burning question up in that dainty little head of yours. Spit it out so we can write this damn paper."

Her green eyes narrowed, "I'm _not_ dainty." She tried to pull her hand away, but Huey wouldn't budge.

He glared at her, and Jazmine matched him with her own little glare. They glared at each other for a long time, and the more she stared into his gaze, the more intense it was. It was a battle of two prides, and the one who looked away lost. In was an unspoken rule. But this time, Jazmine was determined to win. She was tried of Huey, and other people walking all over her like a doormat.

Unfortunately, the bell startled her, and she lost focus. Her eyes briefly snapped up to the ceiling, and only a split second later did she realize her mistake. Huey smirked, and Jazmine wanted nothing more than to wipe it off his face. He stood up, gave her a two-fingered salute, before walking off.

Jazmine glared at him, before quickly scribbling something down in her notebook.

 _Still an insufferable jerk._

* * *

The bell signaling the end of the day rang, and soon, students were pouring out from the double-doors. Jazmine had to stay behind to talk to her History teacher, so when she did exit the school building, the lot was practically empty.

It was oddly quiet.

That strange feeling of being watched washed over her again, and another shiver ran up her spine. Jazmine twirled a piece of her strawberry-blonde hair, softly humming to herself as she crossed the street. Most of the time, she didn't mind walking home. She truly loved the outdoors, and it gave her enough time to get her mind off of stressful things and just enjoy the beauty of nature. Plus, Cindy usually walked with her.

But now, with this eerie feeling in her chest, Jazmine suddenly wished Cindy came to school today.

 _Get it together Jaz,_ She thought to herself, _You're sixteen. You can walk home by yourself, you don't need anyone's help. What would Huey do if he saw you acting scared like this?_ Jazmine thought he'd most likely respond with some irritating tease.

But trying to take her own advice, she walked with her chin up, and took more confident, bolder steps.

But her confidence drained from her body when a hand suddenly grabbed her arm harshly. Before she could scream, she was shoved back into a hard chest, and a mouth. She was dragged backwards, and an alleyway between two townhouse buildings. She twisted and turned, trying to wriggle out of her attacker's grip, but he was too strong.

Suddenly, she was slammed against a wall, and stars exploded across her vision as pain raced up her spine and into her head. She groaned loudly, trying to clutch her aching head, but her arms were pinned above her head. Once the world didn't feel like it was upside-down, she stared with wide, terrified green eyes up at her attacker.

He was the hooded figure.

Except, his shades weren't one, and she could see his dark, scary eyes pretty clearly.

"I saw you lookin' at us all those times, don't think you slick! Who you workin' for? You betta tell me now, _bitch_!" He snapped, increasing the pressure on her wrists.

Jazmine gasped. The sudden fear and pain caused the adrenaline to unleash in her veins, and she could feel her heart pounding in her ears. She opened her mouth, and let out a blood-curling scream. But her scream was cut short when his other hand reached out and slapped her, hard, across the face. The hit was hard enough to make her head swing to the other side, and she just stood there, in shock. Her cheek still tingled with pain.

"Scream again, and see what happens." He growled lowly, lifting up his shirt to expose the gun tucked under his waist.

The mulatto's heart lurched in her chest. Her eyes were wide and terrified as she stared down at the weapon. She couldn't even take her eyes off of it.

"Now," He spoke lowly, "You got one more time to tell me who you-"

Before he could finish his sentence, he was wrenched away from the scared mulatto and slammed against the other wall harshly. His face contorted into a look of confusion, before he scowled at the tall boy with the big afro.

"Huey Freeman...or should I say the Black Claw?" He drawled with a nasty sneer. He drew the gun from his waist.

Huey didn't say a word, and attacked again. It was like a blur, and the gun was knocked far out of his reach The way he fought was nothing like Jazmine had ever seen before. He was fast and agile, ducking all of the guys angry punches and swooping low to knock him off his feet. He was graceful in the way he transitioned from a kick to flip, and then another kick. His opponent had no chance. He was still recovering from a hard punch to the jaw when Huey ran up the wall, lunging off to do a smooth backflip, and expertly kicked him right in the face. The hooded guy went down with a pain howl, collapsing to the ground. He wasn't getting up anytime soon.

It was a wonder he was even still conscious.

Has Jazmine seen Huey irritated? Sure.

She was the cause of it for most times, but _never_ , had she seen him this angry before. His big, maroon eyes burned with cold fury, as he bent down close to the hooded guy's face. His eyes were wide with alarm, as he tried to scoot away from him, but Huey's arm shot out to still him.

"If you ever touch her again, I'll _really_ kick your ass." He spoke in a low, dangerous tone that even made Jazmine shiver.

The hooded guy nodded furiously, and Huey let him go. Slowly he stood up, and walked over to the shivering mulatto. His burning fury evaporated as concern pooled in his eyes.

"Jazmine, are you okay?" He asked softly. Softer than he normally spoke.

Jazmine wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or run away. She stared at the discarded gun on the ground, and whimpered. A finger was under her chin, and gently lifted her head so that she had no choice but to look up at him.

"Jazmine, I have to know if he hurt you in any way. You got to tell me...are you alright?" He asked.

She shook her head, "W-Why did he d-do it, Huey? W-What just happened?"

He looked away from her pooling green eyes so full of gentle innocence that it made his stomach lurch. He kept cursing himself inside his head over and over again. This was all his fault. He should have-

"Huey?" Jazmine asked, her voice so quiet it was barely above a whisper.

 _Damn it all._ He sighed deeply, "It's complicated."


	6. A Rock and a Hard Place

**Damn it, I said I wouldn't do it again!**

 ***Sighs* oh well. At least it's summer time now! I love you guys soooo** **much! You're responses are amazing! Especially about that cliffhanger ( _Sorry-Not-Sorry_ ).**

* * *

Chapter 6: A Rock and a Hard Place

The mulatto blinked for a moment, processing the sentence. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean?"

He still didn't meet her gaze, "It's not something I like to talk about."

His gaze seemed to lock on something, and as he turned away from her Jazmine followed his gaze to the gun still on the ground. Her whole body stiffened again as a terrified expression twisted on to her soft features. She had momentarily forgotten about that gun.

Huey bent down to pick it up, inspecting it casually. All the mulatto could do was stand there, frozen, as he examined the lethal weapon. Guns were dangerous, and violent. When she watched action movies with her father, she always turned away at the gun scenes. Something about guns just rubbed her the wrong way, and had her completely aghast.

"W-What are y-you gonna do with it?" She asked, trying to remain calm, but her lips trembled too much. Her heartbeat quickened when his gaze snapped to hers.

It was clear as day that Jazmine was afraid of the gun. She looked like she was about to burst into tears, and she had subconsciously backed herself into the wall again. Huey gave a soft sigh, shaking his head and slipping the gun into his pocket.

"I'm not going to hurt you, if that's what you're thinking."

"O-Of course not." She tried to protest, but the meaning was lost when she stuttered. The thought had _definitely_ crossed her mind once or twice.

The silence went on for a couple of minutes. Both of their minds were racing, still trying to fully comprehend what just happened.

"Come on, let's get you home." He muttered quietly.

The thought left an uneasy feeling inside her, "I"m scared..."

"Trust me, you'll be fine. My jeep's around the corner."

After a couple of minutes, the mulatto finally nodded. Pushing herself off the wall she cowered in, she timidly walked over to Huey, making sure to stay right beside him, and constantly checked over her shoulder for any other attackers. She still didn't feel 100% great with Huey still walking around with a gun in his pocket, but she did believe him when he said he wouldn't hurt her.

As infuriating as the boy gets sometimes, he did save managed to save her life.

She _trusted_ him.

* * *

About twenty minutes later, they arrived at the Dubois home. The mulatto chewed on her bottom lip nervously, looking out his window. Huey had stopped the car's engine, which also turned off the radio. Once again, they were engulfed into this suffocating silence. Jazmine turned to face him, wanting to at least thank him for steping in and saving her, but when her lips parted, the words died in her throat. Huey's maroon gaze darted to her, studying her face intently, and it sent a warm sensation running through her chest.

She looked away, flustered as usual, "Um..." She rubbed her arm awkwardly, a queasy feeling brewing in her stomach. She glanced back up at him to notice he was still watching her, "Thank you...for saving me."

He nodded.

Jazmine turned to open the door, but froze. She sighed deeply, "I'm still scared."

Huey sighed in return, "It's okay to be. You shouldn't have had that happen to you." His grip on the steering wheel tighten, "I'll make sure it never happens again."

"How does this all connect to you?" Jazmine couldn't help but blurt out.

"Not in the mood for share and tell." Huey muttered, opening the door for her.

Jazmine still didn't get out of the seat. She looked p at him, but his gaze was carefully averted. Carefully, she examined his face. His guarded eyes, to his thickly arched eyebrows, and tense jaw. It was so much like the Huey from school, that it was almost easy to forget their situation.

"You know," Jazmine spoke softly, "You can't keep whatever this is a secret for much longer."

Huey banged his fist against the dashboard, and momentarily startled her. He looked up at her, eyes burning with such emotion that she's never seen before. Obviously, the incident had taken a bigger toll on him than he let on. "Damnit Jazmine! I already feel guilty enough as it is with everything that happened! You should _hate_ me for what's happened! But still, you insist on prying into my personal life! What will it take to get it through your head that maybe some things should be left better unsaid?"

"Maybe when you tell me _something_!" She snapped right back him, feeling the frustration burn in her chest, "You can't just assume that guy wont try to come after me again! If I'm to protect myself, I need to know what I'm going up against! You owe that much to me, at least!"

"You want to know something? _Fine_ ," He leaned in so close that his face was only inches away from her own, his maroon gaze was as sharp as a lethal blade, "Not everybody grows up in the perfect neighborhood, with the perfect family, having perfect lives. Some people had to do things; awful, _cruel_ things just to get their family out of poverty. To a place where they don't have to _suffer_!"

"But you wouldn't understand," Huey continued, shaking his head as he leaned away back into his seat, " You know nothing outside the walls of Wood Crest. You wouldn't be able to comprehend anything that goes above getting good grades and being the teacher's pet. You wouldn't know how it feels to live in poverty or fear. Your mind's too busy living up on cloud nine to look down on the harsh realities in this world other people have to face."

Jazmine was shocked speechless. Millions of thoughts raced across her mind. A part of her wondered what Huey did that was so _awful_ that he could get his family out of poverty. And another part of her was drowning in guilt and sorrow, because Huey was right. She knew nothing past the walls of Wood Crest. She felt like she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. What could she say to make things right?

"Huey," Jazmine almost choked on his name, the guilt beginning to overwhelm her, "I'm so sorry..."

He didn't say anything. His were eyes closed and his head leaning against the steering wheel.

Finally, the mulatto climbed out of the Jeep. Her legs felt strange as they hit the gravel of her driveway. Maybe this was what harsh reality felt like. The engine roared to life behind her, and the door she left open shut as the Jeep pulled out of her driveway. She didn't even realize she was crying until a tear had slipped down her cheek, leaving a thin, warm trail in its wake.

She wiped the tear from her cheek, and opened the door.

* * *

The next day at school, Huey didn't show up. Neither of the Freeman brothers did, and Jazmine couldn't help but feel like it was all her fault. She sat glumly at her desk, her fingers drumming on her lap as she stared at the screen of the laptop in front of her. Today, they were supposed to be typing up the rough draft to send it to Miss Shaw. It was hard when Huey had the first two paragraphs, and Jazmine was too overwhelmed with his whereabouts to even try to type something.

Luckily, Cindy was here today. She wasn't sure if she could take this day without her.

The mulatto leaned over her desk, and whispered, "Um Cindy?"

The blonde turned around from talking and grinned at her best friend, "Yeah, girl?"

Jazmine twirled a piece of her hair nervously, "Can I ask you a question?"

Cindy placed her elbows of the her desk, her chin on them as she raised an eyebrow, "Fo' sure, ask away."

"Have you've ever been so... _conflicted_ about a boy before?" At the look on Cindy's face, Jazmine elaborated, "Like, a part of you hates him so much for what he does to you, and the way he treats you. But another part of you wants to just let him in and be there to comfort him. That part wants him to trust you as much as you trust him."

Cindy scratched her head, "Jazzy, Is this from some chick-flick movie?"

The mulatto sighed and shook her head, "Nevermind."

"...Ya sure?"

She averted her emerald gaze, rubbing her arm, "Yeah, it's okay."

"You know what this sounds like? A need for a girl's night. So we can chill and have some fun. You look like you need a break."

Jazmine internally sighed. _You have no idea,_ She thought lamentably.

"It'll be fun, and plus, today's Friday, so why not? We should probably go to your place though, my momma's bringing around Douche-rick." Cindy said with a snort.

Jazmine cringed at the nickname Cindy had given her mother's new boyfriend. They had only been dating for a few months, and it was clear the blonde didn't see eye to eye with him for whatever reason. Whenever he was around, Cindy always made excuses to leave her house or come over her's.

"You mean _Derick_?" Jazmine corrected.

Cindy scoffed, "I ain't mispronounced nothin'."

"You barely even spend time with him Cindy," Jazmine tried, "Maybe-"

"Nuh uh," Cindy cut her off as she shook her head, "I'm a realist, Jaz. And I call things on how I see it. I sure as hell _don't_ see that prick as someone to spend time with."

Jazmine sighed, giving up on the subject.

"So," Cindy said, changing the subject entirely, "What do ya say 'bout that girl's night sleepover?"

Jazmine smiled, and with a small shrug, she said, "Why not?"

Hopefully, it would get her mind off of _him_.


	7. Sorry

**Okay, this chapter is extremely short. Here's why; my laptop is glitching, and I'm going to leave it to be fixed while I'm on vacation. I won't be back for like a week or two, so I figured I'd at least get this out. I promise the next chapter will be longer.**

 **Also, Wow guys! We are so close to 100 reviews! And because we are close, if this story hits past 100 reviews after this chapter, when I come back, I will definitely write a one-shot for Huey and Jazmine to celebrate. Of course, once my laptop is fixed.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 7: Sorry

Despite her gloomy mood at school, Jazmine actually was looking forward to the sleepover. Her parents had decided to go out for dinner, which left her alone until Cindy came around. She had already set out the movies they'd watch, rolled out some comfy blankets, brought out some snacks, and had the popcorn popping in the microwave. Now she sat, silent on the couch with nothing but her thoughts to entertain her.

Of course, as much as she swore to herself she wouldn't think about him, he just kept coming up. And the more she tried to banish him, the harder it was to ignore. She couldn't help it though; nor Huey or Riley had shown up after the incident. She was desperate to know what was going on, but she also hoped he was okay.

 _You wouldn't understand..._ His voice echoed inside her head, _You know nothing outside the walls of Wood Crest._

The microwave dinged.

She sat up, and walked over to the kitchen, opening up the microwave and smiled slightly at the smell of toasty popcorn. Maybe this sleepover thing would be a good thing for her. It would keep her mind off of her unhealthy obsession of trying to figure out the enigma of Huey Freeman. She had just poured it all into a big bowl when there was a knock at the door, and she left the kitchen to go open it.

"Took you long enough," She teased, but her joking smile faded from her face when she realized it wasn't Cindy at the door.

It was in fact, the boy who had been plaguing her thoughts so much.

Her emerald eyes widened, "Huey?!"

He was dressed in a large, gray sweater and darker jeans. He had his hands shoved deeply into his sweater pockets, as he stared down at the welcome mat in front of her door. At the sound of her shocked voice, he looked up at her. And the light from the porch lit up his maroon eyes aesthetically. Jazmine was still shocked, and all she could do was really stare at him for a moment, before words seemed to finally come back to her.

"W-What are you doing here?"

Huey sighed, "I came to apologize."

She raised an eyebrow, "Really? Y-You are?"

He nodded, "What I said to you was wrong, Jazmine. You didn't deserve it. You only wanted answers because you got caught in the crossfire, which I can't apologize enough for."

Jazmine nodded, "It's okay, Huey. I already forgave you."

He nodded back, and started to turn around. Jazmine suddenly noticed the black Jeep parked in her driveway. There was a sinking feeling, swirling inside her chest. It was _urging_ her to say something.

"I was really worried about you," She started off, and Huey paused at the last step. She quickly mumbled on, "You know, because after that you looked so angry and hurt. And then you didn't show up at school the next day. I...I was worried because I thought you went and did something..."

Huey turned back to her, one of his thick eyebrows arched in curiosity, "Like what?"

Jazmine shrugged, suddenly feeling sheepish. Her cheeks were probably blazing a soft pink. "I don't know...try to avenge my attacker or something! You were really upset! You're normally so composed and level-headed! I had no idea what you would do, especially since you had that...that _gun_."

"You were really that worried about me?" Huey asked, seeming genuinely surprised.

She nodded, flustered, "Of course!" _How_ many times did she have to say it?

For the first time ever, Huey's lips actually curled up into a genuine smile, and he even chuckled. _Chuckled!_ For some reason, that brought a warm surge of joy rushing through her chest. And being the reason why Huey smiled and chuckled made it even better.

"I didn't think it was possible for your face to do anything but scowl." Jazmine mumbled, which made his smile grow a little.

Huey shook his head, "I'll see you at school."

Jazmine nodded again, a silly grin on her face, "Yeah, you too."

"Have a nice sleepover." He said over his shoulder as he continued to walk down the path.

"Yeah-wait, _what_?" She balked, "How did you know that?"

"Your pajamas." He answered, unlocking the door.

It was in that moment, that she became painfully aware of her pink animated ice-cream pajamas, and matching fluffy slippers. Her hair was a curly halo around her head, and she frantically ran her fingers through her strawberry-blonde locks, trying to tame it. Leave it to her to embarrass herself in front of Huey, even when they weren't in school. She found herself blushing at the look he sent her, before he started the Jeep and drove away.

Ten minutes later, Cindy had finally shown up. Jazmine chastised her for being late, and the blonde proceeding to complain about how it was Derick's fault. Apparently, her mother and him were trying to convince her to go with them for a family night, but Cindy wasn't having it. She gave up on trying to convince her Derick wasn't a bad guy, so they settled down in the living room and watched a movie.

Halfway through the movie, Cindy rolled over on the blankets to face her best friend, "Hey Jazz."

"Yeah?" She asked, scooping her hand into the bowl.

"I've been thinkin' bout what ya said earlier. You know, how you like a boy and you really want him to trust you."

Jazmine blushed, "I never said I _liked_ him-"

"Irrelevant, let me make my point," Cindy said, sitting up. For the first time tonight, her easygoing façade dropped, and Jazmine could sense some worry pooling in her blue eyes, "I really like this guy."

"Aww, Cindy!"

"Wait," She said, holding up a finger, "I like him. And I'm pretty sure he's diggin' me too. We hang out a lot, cuz we got chemistry and math together. But there's just somethin' about him...I dunno, I feel like he's keeping a secret. Something _big_."

Jazmine peered at her curiously, "What's his name?"

Cindy grinned widely, "Riley."


End file.
